TitleDeputy Director, Office of Innovation and Development AlliancesCompany
USAIDBio

Ricardo Michel is the Deputy Director in Office of Innovation and Development Alliances at the U.S. Agency for International Development (IDEA). In this role, he is responsible for the oversight of the Global Partnerships, Mobile Solutions and Strategic Engagement Divisions within IDEA. Prior to moving to IDEA, Mr. Michel was the Senior Advisor for Economic Growth and Trade in the Africa Bureau where he provided guidance on issues of trade, regional integration, and private sector partnerships and integrating Economic Growth programming into critical White House led inter-agency development policy initiatives.

Mr. Michel joined USAID in November 2010 from the Export Import Bank of the United States where he served as Senior Project Officer in Ex-Im Bank’s Project and Structured Finance Division, responsible for analyzing and executing complex transactions in various emerging markets throughout the world. He also served as the International Business Development Officer for Africa at Ex-Im Bank, where he created and managed marketing efforts for Africa.

Mr. Michel came to Ex-Im Bank after having worked as an independent consultant offering strategic and business advisory services to clients in both the domestic and international arenas. Most notably, he served as an advisor to a newly established private equity fund in Botswana and was the senior trade and investment advisor for the African Development Foundation where he was instrumental in establishing the Foundation’s Trade & Investment initiative which focused on investing in small and medium enterprises throughout Africa.

Prior to ADF, Mr. Michel worked as an investment banker for JPMorgan Securities Inc., focusing on mergers and acquisitions within the Financial Institutions Group. He was also employed overseas working in a major reinsurance company located in Bermuda and also served as a Certified Public Accountant and auditor for the firm of Arthur Andersen, LLP in their Philadelphia and Bermuda offices.

Mr. Michel received his MBA in Finance and International Strategic Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Cum Laude graduate of Temple University’s Scholastic Honors Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.